The NAPSS was finalized on February 5, 2013 at the 4th annual Youth Sports Safety Summit in Washington, DC convened by the National Athletic Trainers' Association. It urges schools to adopt safety measures to protect student-athletes from injury or illness, which mainly occur in four major areas:

Require that appropriate medical personnel, such as athletic trainers or physicians educated in the evaluation and management of brain injuries be available at all practices and competitions.

Require that teachers, school personnel, coaches, parents, student-athletes and athletic officials be trained to recognize the signs and symptoms of traumatic brain injury (TBI/concussion) and cervical spine injuries.

Require that concussed athletes receive clearance by a medical professional specifically trained in concussion management before returning to physical activity (as is now required in all but a handful of states).

Make school personnel aware of the psychosocial problems of student athletes (including but not limited to disordered eating, depression, suicide and substance abuse) and assure referral to qualified healthcare professionals as appropriate.

Require that coaches and athletic officials are trained in recognizing signs and symptoms of exertionally- or environmentally-induced distress in athletes, and that athletes who suffer heat illness be treated according to established guidelines.

Critical next step in sports safety

"Our prior Summits provided the foundation for this National Action Plan - the critical next step that will help keep young athletes on the field and off the sidelines with chronic, catastrophic or fatal conditions," said NATA President Jim Thornton, MA, ATC, CES. "These conditions can be largely prevented, managed and treated if the right protocols are in place, and properly trained medical personnel including athletic trainers are available to provide immediate care. Only 42 percent of U.S. secondary schools have access to athletic trainers."

A Secondary School Student Athletes' Bill of Rights was also formally released and reinforces the important rights of young athletes when participating in a secondary school sports program. It outlines essential elements that should be recognized by the athletes themselves, along with their parents, school and sports officials and policymakers at all levels.